Ironing-board



A. M. SPRINGER.

IRONING BOARD.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26 1917.

1,369,942, Patented M311. 1, 1921.

I 22 4? Q 35 37 4 l2 9 21 3! Z A. M. SPRINGER.

momma BOARD. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1917.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921;

' mom m. srnmenn,

coilplpanying drawings.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

IBONING-BOARD. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it""known that I, AARON M. SPRINGER, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing in Portland, in the county of Multnomah, in the State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Boards, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the acinvention relates to improvements in ironmg'boards of that general description in which an ironing board proper is provided with collapsible supporting mechanism that is always attached to it ready for use, but which may be folded up into small compass convenient for storing the device out of the wa when it is not required for service.

mong the tion, those regarded as most important are the production'of such 'a device of extreme lightness, simplicity and rigidity of structure, and the promotion thereby of economy in the manufacture of the article and ofits durability and eiiiciency in use. How the obg ects referred to are attained will be best understood from the following specification wherein that which constitutes my invention is first described in detail and after ward succinctly set forth in the appended claims.

In theaccompanying drawings,

Figure I is aside elevation of my board having its supporting members expanded to the several positions which they occupy when the board is in use. 7 'I v Fig. II is an end elevation partially in section taken on the line II-II of Fig.- I.

Fig. III is a detail section on an: enlarged scale taken on the line III'-III of Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a bottom plan view of my device complete, showing in full lines the supporting members folded against the bottom of the board and within the compass of its periphery, and showing in dotted lines lateral expansion of the outside legs.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates an ironing board proper which is preferably made of wood, and may be of any usual or preferred shape and dimfensions suitable for the purposes required 0 it.

Upon the bottom of the board 1, and operatively secured to it so that they may be conveniently folded against it when the board is not in use, I provide an assemblage I Specification of Letters Patent.

various objects of my inven- OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR TO OREGON wOODENWABE MFG. 00., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

- of supporting members, comprisingoutside legs and 3 which cooperate as a pair, and a thlrd or intermediate-leg 4. The legs 2, 3and 4 constitute when expanded a tripod support for the board 1, and are adapted to be expanded into operative positions as shown in Figs. I and II, by a pair of braces 5 and 6, operatively extending between the legs 2 and 3, respectively, and the bottom of the board 1, and a pair of tension rods. 7 and 8,- connecting the free 'end of the leg 4 to the legs 2' and 3, respectively, substant ally at their respective points of connection with the braces 5 and 6.

The effect of the structure described, when Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

Application filed November 26, 1917. Serial No. 203,994.

its parts are in the expanded position de- I scribed, is that of a truss section, affording to the supporting frame a maximum of rigidity in proportion to the lightness of the members contributing to that end.

The legs 2 and 3 are carried upon a bin ed or rocking member, preferably a crossar 9, that is preferably made of wood provided with terminal trunnions 10 working in jourfeet of the legs sufficiently apart in serviceto afford a wide base ofsupport for the board 1; Bolts 15, passing throughthe legs 2 and 3, respectively, and afford simple and effective ing the legs to the cross-bar to the effect above described.

In cooperation with he legs 2 and 3, I prefer to provide transverse braces 16 and 17 that are in eflect'part's of the legs, being secured at their lower e'ndsto their respective legs as by bolts 18 and 19, respectively. Their upper ends converge close to the bottom of the board 1, and are preferably loosely pivoted to the cross-bar 9. They are nicely adjusted in length provided with transversely beveled ends 21 and 22, respectively, soas to insure a frictional engagement with the bottom of the the cross-bar 9, means for secur-.

and preferably 2 and 3, re-

the bottom of the board 1 to receive enga ement of the ends 21 and 22 and toresist t e wear which such engagement offers.

It was specified in the last paragraph that the braces 16 and 17 arepreferably loosely pivoted'to the cross-bar 9. With a further object in view, I prefer to effect the loose pivoting of those members to the cross-bar by aid of a pair of metal plates 25jand 26 secured as by'rivets 27 to the respective braces 16 and 17 and hinged together, as by a pintle 28, in such manner as to permit of the shearwise movement of the plates 25 and 26. These plates project beyond the edges of their respective braces 16 and 17 as shown in Figs. II and IV, so as to admit of the introduction between them of a spacing-member 30. The spacing-member 30 is preferably a screw screwed into the cross-bar v 9 as clearly shown in Fig. III, and may be provided with a broad head, or preferably with a washer 31,.as shown in Fig. III, to serve the purpose of loosely confining the plates 25 and 26 in their movements to the cross-bar 9. V

The presence of the spacing-memberfiO between the hinged plates 25 and 26 provides, in addition to the loose pivotal connection which it affords between the braces 16 and 17 and the cross-bar 9, means whereby the legs 2 and 3 may be expanded at will, within a limit of expansion imposed by contact between the member 30 and the crotch formed by the pintle 28 between the plates 25 and 26, said expansion being automatic whenever the legs 2 and3 are brought into position substantially at right angles to the board 1, (compare Figs. I and II). The effect of automatic expansion last described 1 is produced by the engagement of the bottom of the board 1 or plate 23 thereon with the ends 21 and 22 of the braces 16 and 17 so that those braces are driven endwise by such engagement, the pintle 28 being thereby urged toward the screw 30 with the ef.- ect of causing the screw 30 to act as a wedge so as to separate the plates25 and 26.

The plates 25 and 26 work upon their hinge connection made by the pintle 28 and when spread by the member 30, force the legs 2 and 3 apart. p

The leg 4 is hinged to the bottom of the board 1, preferably by aid of a pin 35 passlng through a pair ofblocks 36 secured, as 3y screws 37, to the bottom of the board 1. he pin 35 is preferably located as close to their free ends as by a yielding,

- membe the axle of the cross-bar 9 as may be convenient, and the length of the leg 4 is such as tobring its foot 38 nearly verticalto the end of the board 1 which it supports.

The tension rods 7'and 8 extend from a 'point of connection 39 with the leg 4 near its foot 38 to the bolts 18 and 19, respectively, to which they are united in effectby a loose connection, for example chains 40 and 41, respectively." The chain connection is preferred because of its convenient flexi- 1 bility, but is intended to be only representative of any flexible connection suitable for the purpose.

It has just been stated that the rods 7 and 8 are in effect connected to the bolts 18 and 19. In respect to detail, however, I prefer 'to make them in the form of cheek plates,

and to provide each of them with a transverse flange 44which, under the tension of rivets 45 by which they are secured to the braces 5 and 6, respect1vely, servesto hold the securely in alinement withthe braces.

The relative lengths of the legs 2- and 3, and 4, and of the rods 7 and 8' being properly adjusted, it remains only to provide in the braces 5 and 6 an accurate adjustment of length in order to effect a rigid assemblage of the members when these braces are adjusted to their holding positions. This position is determined by an engaging member 47 which may consist of a cleat of wood secured to the bottom of the board 1 and preferably notched as indicated at 48, to engage and hold the ends of the respective braces 5 and 6. Incidentally the cleat 47 and a like cross. piece 49 serve to lend strength to the board 1, to prevent its splitting. The braces 5 and -6 are united near preferably, metallic bar 50, adapted from its yielding nature to afford a slight hinged 'eflect between the bars to accommodate expansion of the legs 2 and 3. The bar 50 also affords a convenient means for engagement with it of a hook 51 dependin from the bottom of the board 1, and whic maybe used, if desired, to hold 'the'ends of the braces 5 and 6 in engagement with their notches 48. A sufliciently secure engagement ma'y, how-' ever, generally be attained by stress of the rs, and without the need of the hook 51.

By reason of the presence of the bar 50 unitin the free ends of,the braces 5 and 6,

those races are made to act substantially as a unit. In that capacity they contribute to the convenience of operation of my device, in that they afford means for operating the supporting mechanism of the board from a. single point. That is to say, in operation, it is necessary only to manipulate the free ends of the united braces 5 and 6 in order to set up the board for use. To accomplish that purpose, it is necessary only for the-operator gently to force the ends of the braces toward the member 47, to accomplish the result of spreading the legs 2 and 3, setting the leg 4 into position, and producing the requisite tensionupon the rods 7' and 8. The entire operation following the single manipulation described, is accomplished automatically. Also when the ends of thebraces 5 and 6 are adjusted to the notches 48 they serve to secure the various members of the supporting mechanism in operativeposition from a single point. The expansion of the members into a trussis accomplished by efi'ecting engagement under stress between the ends of the braces 5 and 6 and notches 48 and collapse of the supporting, mechanism may be instantly accomplished by disengagement of the members at that point, under' action so obtained by relief of stress.

The operation of my device, will, it is be- Y bar mounted thereon by means admitting of its rocking movement about its longitudinal axis, of. a pair of legs each hinged to the cross bar, and means adapted automatically to expand the free ends of said legs whenever the cross bar is actuated so as to bringthe le s substantially at right angles to the boar 2. The combination with a board and its supporting mechanism comprising a cross bar mounted thereon by means admitting of its rocking movement about its longitudinal axis, of a pair of legs each hinged to. the

cross-bar, braces extending from the legs, respectively, toward the cross-bar and loosely pivoted to the cross-bar and hinged to each other, and means compelling the separation of the legs whenever the crossbar is rocked upon its axis to bring the legs substantially at right angles to the board.

3. The combination'with a board and its supporting mechanism comprising a crossbar mounted thereon by means admitting of bar is rocked upon its axis to bring the legs substantially at right angles to the board,

said means consisting of projections of the braces beyond thecross-bar and into operative engagement with the board. v 4. The combination with a board and itssupporting mechanism, comprising a cross* bar mountedthereon by means admittin of its rocking movement about its ,longitudlnal axis, of a pair of legs each hinged to. the cross-bar, braces extending from the legs, respectively, toward the cross-bar, a hinge uniting the contiguous ends of the braces and a spacing-member on the cross-barserv ing loosely to secure the hinge to thecrossbar and to limit the expansion of the legs.

5. The combination with a board and its supporting mechanism, comprising a crossbar mounted thereon by means admitting of its rocking movement about its longitudinal axis, of a pair of legs each hinged to the cross-bar, braces extending from the legs, respectively, toward the cross-bar, a hinge uniting the contiguous ends of the braces and a spacing-member on the cross-bar serving loosely to secure the hinge to the crossbar and to limit the expansion of the legs, the ends of the braces projecting beyond the cross-bar and serving through engagement with theboard to spread the legs automatically whenever the said projecting ends are brought into engagement with the surface of the board by the swinging of the cross-bar. I

In testimony'whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AARON M. SPRINGER. Witnesses: I

HOWARD 0. Rooms, MABEL NEVILLE. 

